Tonight (July 28th) the Palace Theatre at Elmwood hosted a special advance screening of Universal's Scott Pilgrim vs the World. The film will not officially be released until August 13th. It was adapted from an independent comic by creator Bryan Lee O'Malley's series of 6 digest style comics and tells the story of bass guitarist and geek, Scott Pilgrim and his love problems.
If director Edgar Wright decided to hang up his hat and retire after Scott Pilgrim, I wouldn't blame him. In fact, it might be the smartest thing he can do at this point. Because the chances of him making another film as perfect as this are slim and none. After Scott Pilgrim, it's all downhill from there.
"Perfect" may seem like hyperbole, but I honestly believe this film deserves the label. Scott Pilgrim seamlessly blends geek culture, action movies, comedy and heart-melting romance into one awe-inducing thrill ride. Name me one other film that has ever done that on this level. Just one. In the words of Katt Williams, "don't worry, I'll wait."
From the moment you see the stylish re-imagining of the traditional Universal "world and trumpets", you know you're in for something different.
This isn't traditional film storytelling. The transitions alone are mind-bogglingly simple yet effective. The music doesn't just adjust the mood, it affects the story (no really, it's a movie about indie rock kids- music is ESSENTIAL). The gorgeous special effects bring the video game- addled mind of Scott Pilgrim to life. Those effects are pretty key to the success of the film. This is a movie that trips back and forth both between genres and between realism and dream-like states. It truly is meant to feel like a comic book brought to life. The last two films to attempt that were Robert Rodriguez' Sin City and Zach Snyder's 300 (both adaptations of Frank Miller comics). As fantastic as those films were, their total reliance on CGI kept them from ever feeling grounded in the real world. Scott Pilgrim vs the World succeeds where they failed. For all the crazy video game fights, there are moments in this film that are just a boy and a girl trying to find a life that doesn't feel totally alone. And that's a moment that everyone can relate to.
Relatability.
That's a huge part of the appeal of both the books and this film. There isn't a geek kid on Earth that hasn't spent a day- if not a lifetime- inside Scott Pilgrim's head. Every last nerdy one of us has fantasized about fighting for the girl we love, winning her heart and - just once- being a hero.
Scott Pilgrim ve the World is an anomaly in the entertainment industry. It's smart, funny and filled with gloriously awesome action sequences, but still feels like an independent film. It's filled with pop culture goodness, but never feels obnoxious or forced like Juno. It's a nerd's bonanza. (Hey! I finally found a place to use the word 'bonanza"!) Best of all, it's a story about a boy and a girl.
Scott Pilgrim, "I lesbian you."
Comments
Excellent! The commercials looked so interesting and different, but I wasn't sure I wanted to go through the trouble of twisting The Man's arm, but it shall be done. Thank you:)
Ward will like it.
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